Even occasional fans have a good idea of ​​how James Bond actors have changed over the years. Sean Connery was the original 007, then George Lazenby took over for “On Her Majesté’s Secret Service of 1969 before Connery returned for a final (official) outing in” Diamonds Are Forever “from 1971. After that, a new obligation arrived in the form of Roger Moore, who made his debut in the role of” Live and Let Die “.

However, his first outing as James Bond did not start on the best note. Actually, The first day of being James Bond was a dangerous mess for MooreWho injured himself at the shooting of an action sequence for “Live and Let Die”. Fortunately, that did not prevent him from taking the 007 coat, with Moore by playing the character through seven films between 1973 and 1983. Today, he still holds the record for most of the appearances as Bond in the official films of Eon Productions (although Connery equaled his seven appearances if you include the “unofficial” never say.

But if we are technical on things, Moore had not only his own appearance of unofficial connection, he actually played the character much earlier than 1973. In fact, he played Bond on the screen after Connery was only two films in his mandate, as part of a British varieties program in which Moore delivered an even lighter vision of 007 than in any film.

Roger Moore has become a familiar name for his representation of Simon Templar in the British series on the criminal thriller of the mystery “The Saint”. The actor actually made his debut in the role in 1962, the same year, Sean Connery appeared for the first time as Bond en Bond “Dr no”, the film that launched the most sustainable franchise in cinema. The following year, Connery would again put on the tuxedo for “From Russia With Love”, while Moore was busy becoming a television star with his main role in “The Saint”. But in 1964, Connery and Moore would play on the screen, the first in what is now frequently quoted as the best Bond film, “Goldfinger” and the second in a short sketch in a television varieties program.

In the summer of 1964, Moore played 007 opposite Mortin Martin, who later became one of the The best stars invited on NBC “Prasier” When she played Daphné’s mother, Gertrude Moon. Between 1964 and 1966, however, Martin played in his own BBC varieties emission, “mainly Millicent” (later shortened “Millicent”) and it was this series that gave us the first performance of Moore as James Bond.

In the sketch, Moore plays a version of the character who is on vacation in a station, only to meet his old romantic interest and his Russian spy Sonia Sekova (Martin). The pair then exercises a slapstick routine where the two detectives are wary of the other’s attempts to kill them potentially when they do not look. Not all the jokes end, but it is a fascinating look at what a young Moore could have made if he gave the role of Bond before his appearance “Live and Let Die”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro7vdomss

Of course, Moore in fact offered the role of Bond much earlier than his first official appearance. The actor revealed in his autobiography, “my word is my link”, that he had been approached to take over from Connery in 1967, but because of his commitments to “the saint” that he could not accept. However, he technically played the character long before that.

Roger Moore’s beginnings as James Bond in a comedy sketch are suitable for how he would become famous to adopt a lighter approach to the character during his official mandate 007. Moore has deliberately separated his link from the Connery versionAnd with the help of the director of “Live and Let Die”, Guy Hamilton, delivered a performance in the main role of his own. Follow -up, “The Man with the Golden Gun” of 1974 would see Moore Veer more towards the territory of Connery, which was almost disastrous for him and the franchise. But over time, the star would embrace the most absurd elements of her performance and has become a beloved bond for an entire generation in the process.

As such, I could not think of a better original story for Moore’s bond than its “mainly thousands” sketch, which, although clearly not the kind of thing that Moore would have thought very much, at least seen the actor completely comfortable in his role as 007 – something he would rediscover as his official liaison films continued.

Interesting thing, the actor revealed TIME that even before his spy television representation, he had started playing with none other than producers of original bonds Albert Broccoli and Harry Saltzman. “I had started” The Saint “but almost at the same time, I had developed a bad habit, or continued a bad habit of playing,” he said. “I found myself playing at least once a week, through the table, with Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman. What a better way for a potential link to meet the producers.” According to Moore, the couple even invited him to see “Dr. No”, who binds the actor to the franchise even before he appears on “Mainly Millicent”.